Pho Is a Vietnamese soup that consists of rice noodles, a broth, herbs, and meat usually beef and sometimes chicken. It is a very popular food in Vietnam and it is served in households, street stalls, and restaurants countrywide. It is the national dish of Vietnam and a must-try for anyone visiting the country. In the northern part of Vietnam, the Pho variant is called “phởBắc” and the southern part of Vietnam calls its Pho as “phởSàigon” in Vietnamese.
The origination of Pho can be traced back to the early 20th century in the northern parts of Vietnam. This dish was popularized in Vietnam during the Vietnamese war by the refugees. The origination of the national dish of Vietnam has been poorly documented that’s why there is a disagreement over the cultural influence that the dish has in the development of Vietnam as well as the etymology of the name “pho”. Interestingly there is a difference between the northern and southern Vietnam on the herbs used to make Pho, the length of the noodles, and even the sweetness of the broth.
Pho was originally made of beef. But nowadays, the Vietnamese chicken pho recipe is the most favorite among the Vietnamese people when compared to other types of Pho. It appeared in 1939 possibly because the beef was not sold in the markets in Vietnam on Mondays and Fridays. In the aftermath of the Vietnamese war, the refugees introduced pho to many other countries as well. In 1980, the first Pho restaurant opened in Orange County, California.
Vietnamese chicken pho recipe is now listed as number 28 on the “World’s 50 most delicious foods”. The Vietnamese embassy in Mexico even celebrated Pho day on April 3, 2016.
The main ingredients used the Vietnamese chicken Pho recipe are chicken thigh, chicken breast, chicken innards, and immature chicken eggs. The noodles which are used are called “bánhphởtươi” noodles in Vietnamese. These noodles are usually medium-wide, but people across different regions in Vietnam prefer different widths.
Traditionally, Pho is served in a bowl with nicely cut flat rice noodles in clear chicken or beef broth, with thin cuts of chicken or beef. Many different variants feature slow cooker tendon, tripe, or meatballs in southern parts of Vietnam. Chicken broth is made using the same spices as beef broth along with some internal organs of chicken like the heart, underdeveloped eggs, and the gizzard. When eating Pho at a traditional Vietnamese restaurant or street stalls in Vietnam customers will be usually asked about the parts of beef or chicken that they prefer.
Pho is the street food and the national dish of Vietnam which has captured the fascination of many people in the west as well. The reason is its deceptive simplicity and the complex flavor it offers in a single bowl. It is the perfect comfort food as it is warm, deliciously refreshing, and hearty. In Vietnam, it has become the quintessential breakfast tradition for households. It is the perfect way to beat the winter blues and highly recommended for travelers to include it in their bucket list if they are visiting Vietnam any time soon!!
